A thousand dollars is a lot of money, so if money is your concern then by all means purchase the gravel bike and use it for road. Road bikes can be use on gravel and gravel bikes can be used on road. There are small compromises when you use a bike not for its designed purpose but this line is blurry. I would have no qualms about purchasing this bike for your intended purpose. Put on some smaller tires and you are set to go. Good luck.